€1.5M fund to support students in various AI courses at third level
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will today present 40 students from underrepresented backgrounds with scholarships to study a range of STEM courses, such as AI and cybersecurity, as part of the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics scholarship programme, supported by Google.org. The event will take place in The Foundry, Google Ireland, Barrow St, Dublin 4.
Students set to receive scholarships today include members of the Traveller community, students who have been in the care of the state, students with disabilities and refugee students. A quarter are mature students returning to education and 41.5% of the new scholars have identified as women.
The Insight Scholarship Programme, supported by funding from Google.org and coordinated by DCU, is the largest scholarship programme of its kind in Ireland. With a funding package of €1.5 million over five years, two cohorts of undergraduate students will receive scholarships to study in one of 230 STEM courses across 12 Irish universities. 40 students entered the programme in the first cohort in 2024, who are being presented with certificates at the launch event today. Applications for the second cohort of students will open in October 2025. Successful applicants will be awarded €5,000 per year, up to a maximum duration of five years.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said:
In an increasingly digitalised world, ensuring a strong pipeline of talent in STEM fields is paramount for the future sustainability of our society and economy. That is why I’m delighted to see programmes like this, supporting students in realising their talent and potential. For our part, the Government is focused on stepping up our efforts to fully realise the benefits of the digital and AI revolution to bring about positive change and ensuring the development and use of AI is ethical and responsible.
Professor Noel O’Connor, Insight CEO, said:
“Insight’s education and public engagement vision is to empower critically aware, creative communities towards a better society for all. Our mission is to co-develop solutions to the most pressing problems on our planet, integrating expertise across disciplines, sectors and, critically, including citizens as partners. We believe this can only be achieved if we tackle societal inequalities in STEM education. Insight and Google are committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in AI and Digital Safety.”
Dr Jessica McCarthy, Vice President of Engineering at Google Ireland, said:
“At Google, we are committed to ensuring access to training in vital digital skills. This scholarship programme offers key support for students from diverse backgrounds to shape the future of technology, creating innovations that truly serve everyone. AI, including generative AI, has the power to transform Ireland’s society, healthcare outcomes and economy – contributing up to €45 billion to GDP over the next decade. We are proud to support this initiative with Google.org funding and look forward to seeing how these scholars make their mark.”
The Insight Research Centre for Data Analytics is supported with funding from the Irish government through Research Ireland, and is one of Europe’s largest data analytics research organisations. It has over 450 researchers, more than 80 industry partners and €150+ million in funding. Its research spans Fundamentals of Data Science, Sensing and Actuation, Scaling Algorithms, Model Building, Multi-Modal Analysis, Data Engineering and Governance, Decision Making and Trustworthy AI. Insight is made up of four host institutions at Dublin City University, University of Galway, University Collage Cork and University College Dublin. Insight’s partner sites are Maynooth University, Tyndall, Trinity College Dublin and University Limerick.
Photo caption: Pictured at the launch of the Insight Google AI Scholarship (l-r): Raphael Junior Okafor, student, Vanessa Hartley, Head of Google Ireland, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, Amber Mullen Williams, student, and Prof Noel O’Connor, Director of the Insight Research Ireland Centre. Image by Naoise Culhane Photography.